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The tallest bridge in Vietnam
Kota Kinabalu to get Skytrain that will link airport to centre, completion of Merdeka 118 tower spire, Phuket Autonomous Rail Rapid Transit plan, and more construction and transport news in SE Asia
Greetings from Bangkok! I’ve just arrived at a hotel to do one night of quarantine, and hopefully, I will get the all-clear tomorrow. When I left Vietnam in August I wasn’t sure if I was going to be back in Southeast Asia this year, so being back is a bonus. While some countries have opened up for travel, things have become complicated with the uncertainty of the Omicron variant. I will stay here for a month and try and cover as many stories as I can. There is a lot happening in Thailand, with the commuter rail fully operating out of Bang Sue Grand Station, and uproar over the planned closure of all railway services from Hua Lamphong Station. I will visit both stations and do a big construction report of the city.
While I am delighted to be back in Bangkok, it’s going to be a bummer to watch the news reports roll in this week about the opening of the China-Laos Railway and not being able to go. So close, yet so far. No doubt that next week’s news will be filled with reports of the opening day.
This week’s article if about Lao Cai Province in Vietnam. History buffs would know it for being the one of the theatres of the brief Sino-Vietnamese War in 1979. These days it is most famous for the tourism hotspot of Sa Pa. There is a new viaduct near Sa Pa that will be the tallest bridge in Vietnam when completed this month. I started reading about it, and next thing you know I went down a rabbit hole to find out what else is going on there. I visited Sa Pa last year, and my trip report gives an idea of why Sa Pa has become known as an overtourism hotspot.
Latest Posts At Future Southeast Asia
Future Sa Pa / Lao Cai Province
Updated Posts
🇱🇦 Laos
Laos hopes for economic boost from Chinese-built railway
Laos-China Railway confirms passenger fares
Added to China-Laos railway.
🇲🇾 Malaysia
Bung Moktar: Kota Kinabalu to get Skytrain that will link airport to city centre
Added to Kota Kinabalu Sky Train
6,000 fishermen statewide against reclamation projects in Penang [NSTTV]
Added to Penang South Islands
Malaysia must revive HSR to keep pace with neighbours
🇹🇭 Thailand
Historic Hua Lamphong station to take on new life under SRT development plans
“Govt is adamant best of Hua Lamphong will remain, but locals are demanding more.”
Added to Hua Lamphong Station
High hopes for 'land bridge' project
“The Transport Ministry said the proposed land bridge megaproject, which will connect Chumphon on the eastern coast of the Gulf of Thailand to Ranong on the Andaman Sea, will become a major transit port, with a capacity rivalling Hong Kong.”
Added to Thai Land Bridge
MRTA to go ahead with Phuket ART project to fix traffic congestion
The Phuket light rail plan may get revived as an Autonomous Rail Rapid Transit (ART).
Added to Phuket Light Rail
🇻🇳 Vietnam
Dong Nai seeks $180 mln for Long Thanh Airport road link
Added to Long Thanh International Airport
Nha Trang seeks to turn pristine island into tourist hub
Added to Future Nha Trang
Other News
🇰🇭 Cambodia
Koh Kong aims to develop Cambodian province's coastal islands
Major Preah Sihanouk infrastructure project set to launch early December
Boeung Prolit residents file complaints against sand pumping companies as area is flooded
🇮🇩 Indonesia
Indonesia needs to sort out how to sort its waste
🇱🇦 Laos
Champassak to forge ahead with Mekong management project
🇲🇾 Malaysia
PM: Completion of Merdeka 118 tower spire, the world's second-tallest building, a 'proud moment'
No major mistake in Penang undersea tunnel project preliminary agreement, witness tells court
Hastening Malaysia’s economic recovery
🇵🇭 Philippines
The Philippines to transform urban areas into smart cities
Pampanga capital ready to relocate informal settlers
“The city government here is stepping up efforts to relocate an undetermined number of informal settlers including 1,200 families from 14 barangays affected by the North-South Commuter Railway Extension (NSCR-EX) project.”
🇸🇬 Singapore
Turning fungi into 'bricks' for construction
🇹🇭 Thailand
Full services begin along SRT Red Line
Take a peek inside Bangkok’s massive downtown park upgrade (Photos)
Why Chinese electric cars are causing a buzz in Thailand
Bangkok improving footpaths in Pathumwan-Ratchaprasong area along Rama 1 road
🇻🇳 Vietnam
Hanoi Party chief calls for speedy completion of 2nd metro line
Vietnam seeks VND90 trillion to build railways connected to seaports
Dien Bien Airport upgrade goes up a notch to receive bigger aircraft